by Bobby Coles

Created on: June 22, 2009   Last Updated: May 08, 2012

The parental bond with a baby is instantaneous, and ever-evolving. As your baby grows, so does your attachment. This is the case with both the mother and the father, although work does need to be done to continue the healthy growth and development of this attachment. There are several steps necessary to ensure that the attachment you are building with your baby is successful. The biggest step is to spend as much quality time as possible with your baby.

Bonds are formed instantly between parents and their children, but some bonds can be strengthened quite simply. When trying to build attachment, make certain to spend as much time as possible playing with and talking to your baby. A baby responds best to calm and hushed tones, so be cognizant of your speech patterns while interacting with your baby.

When looking for ways to build attachment with your baby, look no further than spending quality time together. Do not count the moments, make the moments count. Quality time is far more important than quantity. Take your baby with you everywhere you go, and explain to them during each step exactly what you are doing. This will help them make sense of a complicated world. Speak directly to your baby, and speak in a logical tone. Do not ever babble, as this will confuse their language development.

Mothers have an innate attachment to their babies, and as such have an advantage over fathers. The confident and competent father, however, can easily build attachment with a baby. As long as they are willing to dote and love unconditionally, then there should not be a problem. Fathers should try and rock their babies gently, all the while talking or singing to them. Smiling at your baby is a great way to keep eye contact.

Do not give up on your baby at any time. If your baby is fussy with you, stick it out. Distract them with words, faces, bouncing, a change of scenery, or whatever else it takes to get their mind onto you, and off of something else, such as feeding. This works especially well for fathers, who constantly yield precious time so that the mother can console a crying baby. It is human nature to not want your baby to cry, and to try and seek out some form of relief for them, but you should make sure to let your baby know that you are capable of fitting the bill for whatever they need (lactation aside).

There are many ways to build attachment with your baby during infancy, which is the most crucial stage of development. Either the mother or the father, or both parents,

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